Aquaboard



Oct. 27, 1964 McLEAN 3,154,046

- AQUABOARD Filed Aug. 14, 1962 4 46 42 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent O 3,154,046 AQUABOARD Lorne E. McLean, Box 2098, R.C.A.F. Station, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada Filed Aug. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 216,803 9 Claims. (til. 115-32) This invention relates to manually operated water devices and more particularly to a manually powered water craft.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an aquaboard that will be operated manually by lever means on the water while in a standing, kneeling or prone position by the operator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an aquaboard having rudder means for steering, controllable from the handlebar and the forward and rearward motion of the handlebar by the operator will provide a means for propelling the craft through the water.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an aquaboard that can be efficiently operated while imparting a minimum of effort and strain upon the operator and will be operated safely without causing injury to the operator or to other persons in the water.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an aquaboard, bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of an aquaboard comprising the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the rudders of the craft shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical view of one of the paddles shown in FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary View showing the paddle in its full up position;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the paddle.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, an aquaboard 10 made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a float 12 of elongated and hollow configuration having a rounded bow 13. A pair of parallel extensions 14 project rearwardly of float 12 and provides a means for securing steering mechanisms. An elongated slot 16 through extensions 14 are parallel with the upper and lower edge of extensions 14. An elongated rudder 18 is hingedly connected by hinge 20 on the outside of extensions 14 and leaf spring 22 is secured to the inside of each of the extensions 14 and springingly urge against rudders 18. An elongated control wire 24 is fixedly secured one to each rudder 18 and is freely received and guided by a plurality of eyes 26 fixedly secured to the outside of float 12. The wires 24 extend upward and are secured to the outer periphery of hollow sleeves 28 which are freely rotatable on the U-shaped configurated handlebar 30 and provide a means for steering aquaboard 10. A pair of circular and parallelly spaced apart stops 32 are fixedly secured on the outside edges of sleeve 28 and prevent lateral movement of the handle-grip sleeves 28. U-shaped handlebar 30 is pivotable on pivot pins 34 which are fixedly secured to the sides of float 12 and a pair of parallelly spaced apart angularly bent bars 36 are pivotably secured by pivot pins 38 which project from bar 30 above pins 34. The other end of bar 36 is pivotably connected to elongated shaft 40 which has a paddle 42 centrally positioned upon it. Shaft 40 has a projection 44 forming a stop which abuts against projection 46.

3,154,046 Patented Oct. 27, 1964- In operation, the operator stands on float 12 grasping ahold of handle 30. When he pulls the handle 30 towards him paddles 42 rotate to a vertical position because of the water force upon paddle 42 and the stops 46 and 44, which work in conjunction with each other, hold paddle 42 in vertical position on the rearward stroke of handlebar 30.

When handle 30 is pushed forward, water force on the paddle 42 causes paddle 42 to rotate to an almost horizontal position allowing aquaboard 10 to move forward with little water resistance and paddle 42 is again ready to immediately rotate to vertical position on the next movement of handle 30 rearward.

Turning to port or starboard is accomplished by rotating the grip sleeves 28. When the operator wishes to turn right he rotates the right-hand grip sleeve 28 and when he wishes to turn left he rotates the left-hand grip sleeve 28 which will pivot the rudders 18 upon the hinges of the extensions 14. When the grips 28 are released by the operator after a turn is executed the leaf spring 22 return the rudders 18 to full dead center of stern position by springingly urging against the side of rudder 18.

It will thus be recognized that in order to rotate rudders 18 the grip sleeves 28 may be rotated clockwise or anticlockwise to pivot the rudders 18.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An aquaboard of the class described, comprising, in combination, a substantially elongated float, a pair of rudders pivotally disposed on the rear section of said float, a paddle disposed between said pair of rudders, a U-shaped handle bar hingedly mounted on said float, a pair of push rods being operated by said hinged handle bar and connected to said paddle to operate said paddle by means of oscillating said handle, a pair of wires, a pair of hand grips carried by said handle, each of said wires being connected at one end to a grip and at the other end to a rudder, the oscillation of said handle bar being independent of the movement of said hand grips.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said float is rounded and tapered at the bow and has a pair of rearward extensions with substantially elongated slots for receiving said paddle on a reciprocating shaft, said paddle shaft being reciprocated by said push rods, said rods being angularly bent and pivotably connected to the outside of said U-shaped handle bar.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said paddle shaft is freely received within said elongated slots and the said shaft is moved rearward by the operator pulling said U-shaped handle bar rearwardly, the hinged mount for said U-shaped handle bar comprising a pair of projecting pivot pins oppositely disposed on the outside surfaces of said float, said angular rods being pivotally secured to opposed pivot pins projecting outward of said U-shaped handle bar.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said rearward movement of said U-shaped handle bar and said paddle shaft causes aid paddle to rotate to a vertical position due to the water force it is subject to, propelling said aquaboard forward, a stop projecting from said paddle shaft and a second stop secured to said paddle operating in conjunction with each other, to stop said paddle in a vertical position on said rearward stroke.

5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein water force against said paddle when said U-shaped handle bar is pushed forwardly causes said paddle to rotate to a horizontal position imparting little resistance to said forward movement of said aquaboard, and wherein said paddle is immediately ready to rotate to vertical position when the 3 U-shaped handle bar is pulled torearward of said aquaboard.

6. A combination according to claim 5, wherein the rudders are substantially elongated and hingedly connected to said extensions projecting rearward of said aquaboard and the Wire secured to the outside of each of said rudders is guided within a plurality of eyes secured to the external surface of said float and to the internal surfaces of said U-shaped handlebar.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein the other ends of said wires are fixedly secured to tabs projecting from the outer periphery of said hand grips for steering said aquaboard, with stop means against lateral movement of said rotatable hand grips for steering said craft comprising a pair of spaced apart and circular collars secured to and receiving said handle bar and wherein 15 the right by pivotatably rotating the right rudder and the left-hand grip sleeve steers said craft to the left when rotated clockwise or anti-clockwise by pivoting the left rudder upon its hinge.

9. The combination according to claim 8, wherein return means for each of said rudders comprises a substantially elongated and substantially rectangular leaf spring secured each to the inside of said extensions projecting rearward of said float so that, when the operator releases the handgrips, said spring urges said rudders to straight ahead position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 996,444 Yarrington June 27, 1911 1,253,918 Whitaker Jan. 15, 1918 FOREIGN PATENTS 369,228 France Jan. 5, 1907 924,314 Germany Feb. 28, 195i 

1. AN AQUABOARD OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SUBSTANTIALLY ELONGATED FLOAT, A PAIR OF RUDDERS PIVOTALLY DISPOSED ON THE REAR SECTION OF SAID FLOAT, A PADDLE DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF RUDDERS, A U-SHAPED HANDLE BAR HINGEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID FLOAT, A PAIR OF PUSH RODS BEING OPERATED BY SAID HINGED HANDLE BAR AND CONNECTED TO SAID PADDLE TO OPERATE SAID PADDLE BY MEANS OF OSCILLATING SAID HANDLE, A PAIR OF WIRES, A PAIR OF HAND GRIPS CARRIED BY SAID HANDLE, EACH OF SAID WIRES BEING CONNECTED AT ONE END TO A GRIP AND AT THE OTHER END TO A RUDDER, THE OSCILLATION OF SAID HANDLE BAR BEING INDEPENDENT OF THE MOVEMENT OF SAID HAND GRIPS. 